What is it about starbucks? I have to have it. I am at borders and thought I’d settle for their coffee. The cup is sitting here cold and I am sleepy…but I can’t get it down!!!!!! Maybe we get used to a certain distinct taste. I am addicted though. You know, Diego is addicted too. I love that we share so many little addictions. It’s fun. We both LOVE to have our coffee…to get lost in a bookstore…We both screetched when we heard 24 the MOVIE is coming!!! WOOHOOO!

Had a garage sale yesterday. 8 hours of 100 tempatures. I was miserable as was DH. GOOD gosh, it was hot as hell! I will not do that again anytime soon!

Wrote a proposal today to pitch to one of my editors at RWA…

This is very unedited!

X-Games

Sarah Michaels is in deep trouble, looking for a way out, and fast.

The family business, Chocolate Delights, is about to be taken over by the competition. With her father’s health wavering, he’s given into the pressure to sell to Deluxe Sweets. A company that has tried to take down Chocolate Delights for a decade. With several notes due, all of which Deluxe Sweets has purchased, the fall of Chocolate Delights seems inevitable…unless Sarah can find cash and fast.

To complicate matters, the instigation of the hostile take over, is being overseen by, Ryan White, the new CEO of Deluxe Sweets. A man who’d been her biggest temptation in college, when they both attend UCLA. Approaching him to negotiate is going to be awkward, but Sarah sees no other answer.

Ryan has wanted Sarah for as long as he has known her. The kiss they’d shared years before at a party, had only sealed his interest. When he’d taken over Deluxe, learning of his father’s plot to take over Sarah’s family business, he hadn’t been surprised. The two companies had been rivals for years. But Ryan also has his own agenda. One that might just offer rewards both financial, and personal. He’s willing to strike a deal that keeps her in control of her business with Deluxe as a silent partner….but only if she is willing to play the game his way…or ‘games’ that is. The X Games.

The X Games….and underground society where people are pushed to their sexual limits. Pushed to explore all they can be. To enter the games, to enter that world, you must have a host. Someone already inside that world. Someone who has already achieved ‘X status’. Ryan will be that person for Sarah.

If Sarah can pass the X Tests, if she can play the games…she can keep her company. She gets what she wants…and Ryan gets what he wants…Sarah.

Diego’s Uncle is still fighting. I hope a miracles occurs! We keep praying.

Next week is the last week before RWA and its my bday week. I would love to hear good news about a few things I have pending next week. It would be such an amazing BDAY present…just in case though, my planned present is SHOPPING MALL and JOHNNY DEPP at the movies!

Lisa

Well, I haven’t been blogging because I have a new site coming but its taking a while so I thought I better start blogging again.

I have just turned in my revisions to BLAZE. This is it. I will either get a contract or not. So I wait…nervous nervous nervous. The editor at Blaze..well, I love her! She is wonderful and I would love to work with her. Actually I really already have. I wrote this proposal because Brenda Chin had read something that didn’t fit her lines but she liked my vioce. So she said - write a few blurbs and lets pick an idea. So I did and she picked and thus I started writing a proposal. After the first draft, Brenda hooked me up with Wanda Ottewell aka the editor I love. We’ve worked together on it so it feels that I have indeed worked with Wanda. And it was enough to convince me her insight is awesome and I’d love to be with her long term. I also just gave her a Spice proposal which is more my dark voice many of you know. The Blaze is lighter, more fun. I hope lol! If I did a good job.

Still waiting and hoping to hear on lots of other things…my editor at Berkley has several single title proposals so I am on pins and needles…

SO we shall see!!

On Amazon…ALLURING TALES I for preorder! HURT SO GOOD for preorder - new anthology Pocket put together with three EC authors!!!YAY! This will be mass market. HEALER in print!! Check them out:)!!

Lisa

Updated and all sites tested…Compiled by Donna Caubarreaux….May be forwarded with credits.

E = Electronic Format Available
EO = Electronic Only
MO = Members Only
U = Unpublished
P = Published
P/3 = Not published in three years
Pnr = Published, but not by RWA standards
PC = Not published in category selected

Golden Synopsis (U)
Maine RWA
Received by May 1, 2005
Up to 12 pages synopsis
http://www.geocities.com/mainerwa/GOLDENSYNOPSISCONTEST.html

Swept Away (U)(E)
Celtic Heart Romance Writers
Received Deadline May 1, 2006
The first 30 pgs of ms+5 pg max synopsis, not to exceed 35 pages.
http://www.celtichearts.org/SA2006.htm

The Jasmine
Lowcountry Romance Writers
Postmarked by May 1st, 2006
First 45 pages, plus up to 5-page synopsis
http://www.lowcountryrwa.com/

2006 Published Maggie Award (P-Reg. 3 Only)
Georgia Romance Writers
Received by 5/2/2006
Copyright of 2005
http://www.georgiaromancewriters.org/Maggies/06pubrules.php

Ignite the Flame (U - P/3)
Central Ohio Fiction Writers
Postmarked by May 6, 2006
Your hero and heroine’s first meeting (up to 15 pages)
http://www.cofw.org/

Aspen Gold (P)
Heart of Denver
Received by May 15, 2006
Copyright of 2006
http://www.hodrw.com/

The Molly (U)
Heart of Denver
Received by May 15, 2006
First thirty pages max; synopsis- 5 pages max.
http://www.hodrw.com/molly.htm

The Scarlet
Writer’s Weekend
Received by May 15, 2006
First 5 pages; Query letter; Synopsis 2 pg single spaced.
http://www.writersweekend.com/contest.php

We Dare You
Saskatchewan Romance Writers
Postmarked May 15, 2006
First twelve pages
http://www.saskromancewriters.4t.com/

Share the Dream
Scriptscene RWA
Postmarked by May 15, 2006
First fifteen pages of screenplay.
http://www.geocities.com/rewrit2002/contestrules.html

75th Annual Writer’s Digest Competition
Deadline: May 15, 2006
There are ten categories
http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/annual/75th/

Share the Dream
Scriptscene Chapter RWA
Postmarked by May 15, 2006
First fifteen pages of your screenplay (judged by industry professionals)
http://www.geocities.com/rewrit2002/contestrules.html

Original Golden Opportunity
Toronto Romance Writers
Postmarked by May 17, 2006
Synopsis, first chapter & prologue (if applicable) to 30 pages, maximum.
http://www.torontoromancewriters.com/goldenop.html

Haunted Hearts (U - P/5 - Pnr)
Gothic Romance Writers
Received by May 31, 2006
First chapter + one page synopsis not to exceed 26 pages.
http://www.gothrom.org/hhguidelines.html

American Title III
Dorchester/Romantic Times
Received by June 1, 2006
First three chapters & synopsis of a Contemporary novel.
http://www.dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?ID=2097

2006 Unpublished Maggies
Georgia Romance Writers
Received by June 1, 2006
Synopsis and beginning of manuscript, 35 pages total
http://www.georgiaromancewriters.org/

Touch of Magic (U)
Central Florida Romance Writers
Received by June 1, 2006
First 25 pages plus 3 pg unjudged synopsis
http://www.cfrwa.org/contest.htm

The Writer’s Voice (U - P/3)
Calgary RWA
Received by June 1, 2006
2 pg. unjudged synopsis; first chapter to 23 pages.
http://www.calgaryrwa.com/contest.html

Emerald City Opener (U)
Greater Seattle Romance Writers
Postmarked by June 1, 2006
First seven pages
http://gsrwa.org/emerald_city_con/ec_opener/EmeraldCityOpener_2006.htm

The Anne Bonney Readers’ Choice Award (P)
Ancient City Romance Authors
Postmarked by June 1, 2006
Copyright of 2005
http://acrarwa.com/contest.htm

Book of Your Heart (U - P)
PASIC
Postmarked by June 1, 2006
First chapter up to 25 pgs + 3-10 pg synopsis
http://www.pasic.net/contest.html

Colorado Gold (U)
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
Postmarked by June 1, 2006
First 20 pages plus synopsis up to 8 pages.
http://www.rmfw.org/

Reveal Your Inner Vixen (U - P)
Maryland Romance Writers
Postmarked by June 1, 2006
One scene that showcases the sexual tension between the hero and heroine, not to exceed twenty (20) pages.
http://www.marylandromancewriters.org/contest.html

Lone Star Writing Competition (U - P)
Northwest Houston RWA
Postmarked by June 5, 2006
First chapter up to 25 pages.
http://www.nwhrwa.freeservers.com/contest06.html

Heart to Heart (U)
San Francisco Area RWA
Received by June 6, 2006
Scene where the Hero & Heroine meet, up to fifteen pages.
http://www.sfarwa.com/contests/h2h_info.asp

Golden Leaf (P) Region 1 & NJRW ONLY
New Jersey Romance Writers
Register by June 10, 2006
Copyright between 8/05 - 7/06
http://www.njromancewriters.org/golden_leaf.html

Labor of Love (U - P/5)
Heart of Louisiana
Postmark by 6/10/2006
Synopsis, prologue, beginning not to exceed 50 pages.
http://www.heartla.com/ContestEntry.htm

Golden Gateway (U - P/5)
>From the Heart Romance Writers
Received by June 16, 2006
Beginning plus synopsis(10 pg or less)55 pgs total max.
http://www.fthrw.com/contest/goldengateway/

Enter Laughing Contest (U - P/5)
Grand Rapids Region RWA
Received by July 1, 2006
2 pg synopsis (unjudged) + first chapter up to 25 pages.
http://www.grrrwa.org/contest.html

Indiana’s Golden Opportunity (U - Pnr)
Received by 7/1/2006, 2006
Total entry (manuscript + synopsis) not to exceed 55 pages.
http://home.insightbb.com/~irwa/contest/contest.htm

Melody of Love (U)
Music city Romance Writers
Received by 7/1/2006
Prologue/first chapter, up to 25 pages.
http://www.mcrw.com/

Write, Hook, Query Contest (U - P/3)
Pocono Lehigh Romance Writers
Postmarked by July 10, 2006
Submit a Query Letter
http://www.plrw.org/

On the Far Side
FF&P RWA
Received by August 1, 2006
First fifteen pages + up to five page synopsis.
http://www.romance-ffp.com/OTFS2006Rules.htm

Picture This Contest
Inland Empire Chapter
Postmarked by August 1, 2006
Send us the best scene from your book, 5-12 pages.
http://geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/2936/contest.htm

Silver Rose Award for Website Excellence (U - P)
Sacramento Valley Rose
Received by August 15, 2006
http://sacramentovalleyrose.com/contest.html

Barclay Gold (P)
Lowcountry Romance Writers
Received by 9/11/2006
Copyright of 2005
http://www.lcrw.org/contests.html#gold

Check out all the contests on: http://www.geocities.com/divaswithtiaras/ContestDiva.index.html

Contest Alert-All the news on upcoming contests, plus Finalist & Winner
listings, questions, etc. Sign up now!
ContestAlert-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Announcement only list: ContestDeadlines-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

For Published Authors ContestAlertPublished-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If you’re a Contest Judge, join ContestsJudges-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Donna Caubarreaux is a member of Coeur de Louisiane, Scriptscene Chapter, NOLA Stars, Heart of Louisiana, Kiss of Death, Eastside RWA and ChickLitWriters of RWA. She received a RWA Service Award in 1997.

As ‘chick lit’ wanes, pub houses redefine the genre
By DIANE CLEHANE

The breathless story of the single gal in the big city who is more adept at shopping than relationships that has come to define “chick lit” is as out of style as last year’s Jimmy Choos, say publishing honchos. “What we’re hearing from a lot of booksellers is that if they see one more pink cover they’re going to scream,” says Hyperion’s senior VP and publisher Ellen Archer.

Ever since Helen Fielding’s “Bridget Jones’s Diary” crossed the pond in 1998, contemporary women’s fiction — dubbed chick lit, to the chagrin of many authors and publishers — has spawned a seemingly endless bumper crop of titles with varying degrees of success. Breakout star Jennifer Weiner (”Good in Bed”) and one-hit wonder Lauren Weisberger (”The Devil Wears Prada”) are among the few authors who have generated sales and lots of buzz for the genre, but the sheer number of books by no-name writers targeted to lovelorn twentysomethings seem to have left the industry with a Cosmo-sized hangover.

“When you see ‘How to Write Chick Lit’ books in the stores and it can be deconstructed that way, you know they’ve jumped the shark,” says literary agent Daniel Greenberg of the Manhattan-based Levine Greenberg Agency.

But like its plucky heroines, the genre’s highly invested publishers and writers have found a way to reinvent themselves to attract new suitors. “Some people say chick lit is dying out, but I think it’s here to stay,” says Karen Kosztolnyik, senior editor at Warner Books, whose chick lit imprint 5 Spot was launched in September. “It’s starting to spin off into subgenres — from bride chick lit to ‘fancy moms’ lit about getting divorced or moving to the suburbs.” Not so coincidentally, the imprint’s “hot summer read” is Jane Porter’s “Flirting With 40,” about a newly single woman and her much younger love.

“Chick lit is evolving,” says Jane von Mehren, VP and publisher of Random House’s trade paperback division. “The genre is diversifying with different types of stories — now there’s glam lit, hen lit, even stories involving the paranormal. We’re seeing African-American and Latina authors selling very well.” The house is banking on Sofia Quintero’s road trip tale “Divas Don’t Yield” to tap into the ethnic chick lit market.

Archer believes the biggest opportunity for growth is in going after the older reader — “women 35 and up — the key-demo hardcover book buyers.” While the house has had success with authors like “Sex and the City” scribe Candace Bushnell (”Trading Up”) and up-and-comer twentysomething Cecelia Ahern (”P.S. I Love You”), Archer believes Hyperion’s new imprint will be a place where older writers and readers can “tackle meatier issues.”

Decrees the publisher: “There will be no chicks or hens here.” The yet-to-be-named imprint will be helmed by editorial director Pam Dorman, who edited Helen Fielding while at Viking.

Bushnell concurs that the future for the genre lies in more grownup heroines. “The characters in ‘Lipstick Jungle’ (her latest bestseller, currently in development at NBC) are really the same characters that were in ‘Sex and the City’ but grown up,” she says. “They’ve discovered it’s sometimes more exciting to be Mr. Big than to date him. That’s what women want to read about now.”

Some of the most eagerly awaited books in the genre have replaced sex with power as the key ingredient in one reconfigured formula for success. One such title that’s generating high hopes: “Because She Can” (Warner) penned by former ReganBooks editor Bridie Clark and due out next year. The roman a clef chronicles the life of a beleaguered editor driven crazy by her tyrannical female boss.

Clark worked for media maven Judith Regan for two years, prompting insiders to salivate over the prospect of having a hit that’s a thinly veiled expose. “It’s our ‘Devil Wears Prada,” says von Mehren.

Greenberg, who reps Clark, says he’s been “besieged by requests” from Hollywood for a look at the manuscript, but the book hasn’t been shopped yet. Perhaps that’s because producers are waiting to see if “Prada’s” bestseller status translates to bigscreen success.

Last year, when Chick Lit’s high priestess Jennifer Weiner’s “In Her Shoes” underperformed at the box office and among critics, industry execs were dismayed. “The book did so well, Jennifer has a huge following and the movie had big stars (Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette), so no one expected that,” says one insider. “It just shows that you never know what’s going to work. Publishers are really feeling that way about chick lit now.”

Regardless, Hollywood remains high on the genre. A sampling of projects currently in development:

• “Good Grief” (Warner Books) by Lolly Winston has been optioned by
  Universal’s Marc Platt. Michael Cunningham (”The Hours”) is writing the
  screenplay and it’s been reported that Julia Roberts is slated to star in
  the dramedy about a young window trying to rebuild her life.
• “Forget About It” (5 Spot), an unpublished novel by Caprice Crane about a woman who fakes amnesia, was optioned by New Line, with Scarlett Johansson attached to star.
• Wendy Finerman picked up “P.S. I Love You” by Cecelia Ahern (Hyperion) for Universal. Richard LaGravenese has written the script, which is scheduled to go into production later this year.
• Another Ahern novel, “If You Could See Me Now,” was optioned by Disney. “Chicago” producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are developing it as a musical, with Hugh Jackman set to star.
• “The Ivy Chronicles” by Karen Quinn, about a Wall Streeter turned nanny, has been optioned by Jerry Weintraub. Catherine Zeta-Jones is attached to star.

So is chick lit alive and well? “I don’t think the term matters anymore,” says Bushnell. “Women just want to read interesting, well-told stories about other women’s lives.”

http://knightsofwhite.blogspot.com/

1/3 done!! WOOHOO!!